Fireproof folding door or shutter.



J. CAHILL.

FIREPROOF FOLDING DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLlcATIoN F11ED1uN25.1910.

Pafemed Nov. 21,A 1916.

W 54m/fw QM/Mlm l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

IJDHN CAHILLfOF'NORFOLK, VIRGr-INTAUv FIREPROOF FLDING DOORR SHUTTER.

' vide a door or shutter of the character stated which may be easily erected and operated and ,which shall be economical both as regards first cost and cost of maintenance.

Another object is to provide a fireproof shutter composed of jointed sections adapt-.f

ed to fold or close upon one another and Weather-proof in that they are arranged to shed rain water.

lOther objects as well as the nature, charf acteristic features and scope of the invention will .more readily be understood from' the following detailed descriptionvtaken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

forming a part hereof, wherein- Figure 1, is a perspective view of a door or shutterl embodying features of my 1n-v vention. Fig. 2, is a sectional view showing the relative arrangement of the panels or slats; and Figs. 3 and 4, *illustratev de tails. v

l'The improved Vclosure is constituted of substantially straight or :liat'face units, slats lor panels l, constructed from sheet metal blanks. At one end the blank "is curled or formed with a roll, loop, or tubular engaging member 2, and at the other end the blank assumes an angular bend or offset 3,'wh'ich terminates in a loop or tubular engagingy member 4, andI this arrangement is alternate or staggered as shown in Fig. 2v, so

that the rolled edge or tubularpart 2,.`of one Slat or shutter element, is adapted to sleeve into or telescope the rolled edge 4, of an adjoining slat and the combination constitutes a protected or water shed hinge or folding connection Manifestly 'the slats are displaceable vertically and to avoid this, use may -bemade of a cap or'abutment 6, which overhangs the hinge connec? tion and is secured to one of the .slats or shutter units 1, asshown in Fig. 3; or as shown in Fig. 4, use may beinade for this Specicaton of Letters Patent.

:rammed Nev. ai, wie.;

Application tiled, .Tune 25, 1910. Serial No. 568,823.

lower end ofthe tubular part 4, and arrests the downward movement ofA the complemental hinge element 42. It is evident that the caps when present alsov serve to exclude water from the hinges.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig.

2 that the slats in cross-section are of a general U or lchannel sha-pe,the webs'of the channel being formed by the offset rolls and the bottomof the channelbeing fiat. The web or offset 3 projects beyond the complemental'roll 2, whereby the alinement of the slats is not disturbed when the slats are in unfolded state. This structure and arrangement enables the slats to fold somewhat on the order of an accordion plait, the flat parts of the slats being superimposed or nested in the folded or collapsed position, as clearly evident in Fig.

The structure, Fig. 1, sh'ows'one way of practising the invention. Theizdooias a wholemay be swung Aon hinges 8,-secured to the building structure 9, and tof'acilitate the opening and closing of the door, 'rollersl 10 are provided which run on a track or rail 11. The rollers are suitablymounted in vstirrups-f12, that are pivotally connected to theslats. vA fioor rail or track 13, may be employed if desired, and its groove 14, concompactly,

stitutes a way for the pins 7 when the latter are prsent.

The angle bar 15,A when present, serves as a reinforcement andjalso as a support for a suitable latch or fastening A Manifestly various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the'invention. Hence the same is not limited other than required by the prior state of the art'.

Having described the nature and objects of the invention, what I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters -Patentszl.A A collapsible fire-resistant barrier enibodyin-g a series of sheet metal slats of U or channel form in cross-section, the bottoms f of the channels being flat-and thewebs/terminatingin hinge sections,one ofthe webs 'being of greater extent than the other and the short web of one slat telescoping the extended-web of the next adjoining slat, sub-AV stantially asdescribed.

2. A collapsible lire-resistant barrier em.- bodyinga series` of sheet metal slats with vflat bodies and whereof the vertical edges are rolled and are adapted `to be introduced purpose of a ping, that isse'ciired in the,v endwise into, the rolled edgesof adjoining panels to provide self-locking hinges, the flat parts of the slats being superimposed or nested when the slats are folded, and means to prevent the vertical displacement of the slats, substantially as described.

3. A structure of the type recited, comprising the combination with floor and overhead rails, of ahorizontally folding and sliding door formed of a plurality' of flat sheet metal slats having their vertical edges rolled or beaded to provide telescopic hinge connections with the next adjoining slats7 one of said rolled edges being projected beyond the other to maintain an alinement of the slats when the door is closed, means to prevent the vertical displacement of the slats and having an extension which slides in the lioor rail, and rollers on the overhead rail and operatively connected with the door, substantially as described.

4. A structure of the type recited, comsuspension coperating with the overhead rail, and a hinge mounting at one end of the doorway whereby the door may be lifted from the rails and swung clear of. the doorway, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, JOHN C'AHILL.

Witnesses A. B. DEGGEs, CHAS. M. C. DQRAN. 

